Various embodiments relate to operable modes for generating power to optimize the energy efficiency and minimize emissions associated with the power generation process by meeting both real-time and projected demands of individual and/or arrays of energy storage devices. The energy storage is both a primary energy form including electricity, compressed air, hydraulic and/or thermal hydraulic etc. and thermal energy resulting from the production of the primary energy form. The ability to meet the discreet and discontinuous power demands specific to hybrid plug-in “plug'n” vehicles, especially a fleet of vehicles places significant demands on the energy provider, particularly in terms of peak demand and aggregate energy efficiency.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,013,205, to Hafner, et al., issued on Mar. 14, 2006, for “System and method for minimizing energy consumption in hybrid vehicles” discloses a means of solely reducing the operating cost of a singular plug-in hybrid vehicle, but does not account for the energy efficiency or the creation of emissions during the generation of power whether said power is provided by on-board power generating means or by an external plug-in power provider. The U.S. Pat. No. 7,013,205 patent does not account for variability of on-board power generation or the provisioning of power from an external source such that the byproduct waste heat can be concurrently stored or utilized.
It would be beneficial to consider byproduct waste heat (most distributed power generation systems have over 60% of the total fuel content in the form of byproduct waste heat, and the best centralized power generation systems still have over 35% of the total fuel content in the form of byproduct waste heat) for both the power generating expense, and thus the opportunity for dynamic pricing to the plug-in hybrid vehicle.
The term “wireless” refers to the non-wired measures to establish communications. This includes, but is not limited to, infrared, radio frequency, cellular, radar, and power-line carrier.
The term “wired” refers to the use of physical electrical or optical connectivity to establish communications. This includes, but is not limited to, the use of serial, parallel, USB, Firewire, Ethernet, optical fiber, and RS-485 port communication.
The term “algorithm” refers to calculations, rules, and parameter values utilized to determine the change of state in a deterministic manner.
The terms “transportation device” and “vehicle” are used interchangeably, both having the meaning of a mobile device that has integral capabilities of being non-stationary.
The term “HyGaSS” is the acronym for hybrid energy generation and storage system.
The terms “household” and “residence” are used interchangeably, both having the meaning of a place for people to live. It inherently can be, for example, a condominium, apartment, home, town-home, or the aggregate of individual households as a neighborhood or community.
The terms “Plug-in hybrid” and “Plug'n hybrid” are used interchangeably, both having the meaning of a device capable of obtaining directly useful energy from external sources or generated on-board. One such example is the use of electricity from the grid and an on-board combustion engine driving a DC generator.
The term “hydraulic” energy refers to the utilization of a pressurized fluid, which is generally incompressible, to store and/or transmit power.
The term “thermal hydraulic” fluid refers to the utilization of a pressurized fluid, which generally has increasing pressure at increasing temperatures. A thermal hydraulic fluid is a compressible fluid, with one exemplary being supercritical CO2. Another example is a binary fluid whereby CO2 is absorbed into the absorbent.
Various embodiments of the present invention relate to energy generation, and more particularly to power generation employing dynamic switching to an array of energy storage devices having unique prioritization and energy demand profiles.
Additional embodiments may further include the means to utilize byproduct waste heat in a manner that enables the asynchronous utilization and production of the primary energy form and thermal energy.
Additional embodiments yet further include the means to utilize stored energy from either a working fluid such as compressed air, which also includes pure gases such as carbon dioxide, or a thermal hydraulic fluid in combination with heat produced concurrently or collected from a thermal energy storage device to increase the enthalpy of the working fluid.
Additional embodiments feature the concurrent production of pressurized working fluid by a primary engine that is subsequently heated to increase the enthalpy by the primary engine waste heat.
Additional embodiments provide a method of controlling the discharge rate of a pressurized working fluid as a function of distance to a destination, calculated energy consumption to the destination, and stored energy of the working fluid.
Additional embodiments are directed to the method of controlling a discharge rate of the pressurized working fluid into a minimum of two stages. The preferred first stage discharge pressure and temperature occurs within the desorption range of a working fluid and a gas. A preferred second stage discharge pressure and temperature occurs prior to the phase transition of the gas from second to third stage into a liquid.
Additional embodiments include the utilization of a relatively high temperature source to desorb a working fluid from an absorbent surrounded by a series of heat exchangers with the prior heat exchanger serving as a preheat stage and the latter heat exchanger serving as a heat recovery device in order to minimize the demand of the relatively high temperature source.
Various embodiments provide a new and high efficiency means of providing power to energy storage devices and methods of use.
Additional features and advantages of the various embodiments are described herein and will be apparent from the detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments. It should be understood that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and without diminishing its attendant advantages. It is therefore intended that such changes and modifications be covered by the appended claims.